


Him

by Fia_Rose



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Peter Pan - J. M. Barrie
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:21:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 5,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23753008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fia_Rose/pseuds/Fia_Rose
Summary: Lilith's mind was blank when she arrived on Neverland, her name the only thing she remembers. As she scrambles for the truth about who she is her life on Neverland begins to crash and burn, the price of betrayal much higher than she had ever imagined.~This is just a fun fanfic which became kinda more serious as I wrote it, so there's some very cliché things at the beginning but these fizzle out. There will be romance ;) (have patience though), hope you enjoy!~
Relationships: Peter Pan (Peter Pan) & Original Character(s), Peter Pan (Peter Pan) & Original Female Character(s), Peter Pan | Malcolm/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	1. Arrival

All I remember is him, his eyes, looking at me. Darkness wrapping around me and lifting me into the endless night sky, 'to Neverland' a whisper floated on the wind and brushed my ear, 'first star on the right and straight on 'til morning.'

*

It was dark, cold snaked all around me, my heart beat in my head, quicker and quicker and quicker. Where was I? The question raced around my mind, screaming to get out but I keep my mouth shut, not wanting to make a sound and damn myself.

I try to feel around in front of me but as I attempt to move my hands something stops them. Rope. I'm tied up, but why, what for? My legs fail me as I try to stand, my feet are tied too, oh god, where am I? Where am I? Where am I? Where am I?

"Where am I?" A breath catches in my throat as the words tumble out of my mouth and into the world around me.

"She speaks," A ruff voice chuckles from out the darkness as something moves in the murk, there's a hiss as a flame appears and lights some sort of torch, illuminating the area around me.

I shuffle back, my breaths becoming quicker.

"Who are you?" I ask as a person, a boy, steps towards me, a scar across his face.

"Now, where would the fun be in telling you?" He laughs, a piece of grass hanging out his crooked mouth. I struggle to find words to answer as I twists my hands, trying to get free of my binds.

"Why am I tied up?" Another question tumbles out my lips and into the open as I try my best to break free, the ruff rope rubs against my skin until my wrists are too sore to continue. The rope is tied too tight, I can't escape.

"My answer is the same," The boy with the scar comes even closer, I can feel his breath on my cheek as his grin grows wider, "There's no fun in telling you."

Just then something, someone, crashes into the torch light, another boy.

"Pan wants to see you," The boy takes deep breaths, obviously having just ran here. He turns to face me and nods in my direction, "He also wants to see her." The boy with the scar straightens, dismissing the other boy as he does so and then turns back to me,

"Names Felix." The boy with scar states as he hoists me up with one hand, I teeter as I try to gain balance on my bound feet.

"Lilith." I reply as I finally stand still. The boy, Felix, looks me up and down, his eyes narrowing to slits.

"You try to run, you die. Clear?" A smirk spreads across his face just before he bends down, cutting my feet free from the rope, "Follow me." Felix begins to walk away, taking the torch light with him. I want to run, I want to get away but his words echo in my head 'you run, you die' so I follow, fear slowly crawling up my throat and taking hold.

We walk for what seems like hour, trees line our path, the torch light only lighting up the ground a few feet in front of us. The darkness beyond stays solid, undisturbed.

I begin to wonder if we're ever going to stop walking as another light comes into view, this one's bigger, brighter. It's a campfire, with people dancing around it. Music floats towards us and I feel myself begin to dance, small movements at first as I'm beckoned closer and closer and... The music stops. The forest goes silent.

"You took your time." A voice comes from the shadows, the campfire is just beyond a few trees, just out of reach.

"She was further away than I thought," Felix answers as he turns to face me, no, something behind me. I can feel it looking at me, I slowly turn, holding my breath, and I freeze. I stare and stare at the person lit up by Felix's torch, trying to make sense of it. Those eyes, I knew those eyes.


	2. Meeting

Those eyes slid from where they looked at Felix and settled on me. I heard Felix step closer from behind me, his torch light illuminating the rest of the person standing before me. He wore clothes of dark green and old boots adorned his feet. A nest of mousey brown hair lay atop his head that shifted as he tilted it to one side, a smirk spreading across his face. Silence hung between me and him, his eyes captivating my attention. I knew them... but why?

"Can you talk?" The person asks, a teasing tone lacing his words.

"Yes, is that a problem?" I reply, not caring that the question was rhetorical. The person's eyes seem to shine at my words.

"You've got fire," He steps closer, leaving only a few inches between us, "I like fire." Is he... flirting? I shake my head, a small laugh passing from my lips.

"Do you say that to every girl you meet?" I hold his gaze with my own, trying desperately to ignore the curiosity eating away at me. Where did I know his eyes from?

"I wouldn't know, I don't meet many girls." He briefly looks me up and down before adding, "You're the first one I've met in a long time." My brows draw together slightly as I try to make sense of his words.

"What do you mean you don't meet many girls?" It was more of a demand rather than a question. He pauses for a second before answering.

"No girls live with us and we don't often get visitors. You see, it isn't that easy to get here." He answers simply, what does that explain? If anything it creates more questions.

"Where is 'here'?" I need at least something to be answered, for me to know one little thing about where the hell I am and who the hell these people are who've tied me up.

"You seriously don't know." Felix walks around me and stands beside the other person. My tangled blonde hair sways from side to side as I shake my head in response.

"Well then," the boy I don't know says as his smirk widens into a wicked grin, "Welcome to Neverland."

'Neverland'. I know the name, as if I had heard it in a half forgotten dream. 'Neverland'. I drop my gaze to the dimly lit forest floor, pine needles coat it like a blanket. 'Neverland'. Where do I know it from, do I even know it? Is the name just similar to something else I've heard before? I don't know, I don't know if I'll ever know.

By the time I look up again the other person has gone, leaving just Felix and me alone in the forest, the dim light from the campfire casting a menacing light across his face. Felix barely looks at me before starting to walk towards the fire, the chatter and laughter becomes louder as I follow him silently.

"Who was he?" Felix stops at my question, looking over his shoulder. For a second he seems as if he isn't going to answer.

"He's our leader." Felix turns to face me fully, his floppy blonde hair like molten gold in the fire light, "His name is Peter, Peter Pan."


	3. Remember

Peter Pan, I definitely didn't know that name. Maybe I didn't recognise his eyes or the name of this place in the first place, maybe I'm just winding myself up.

Felix passes the last line of trees separating me and the campfire and I follow suit. The heat of the it hits me square in the face the second I walk around the ancient trees. It takes a few seconds before I adjust to the heat and am able to look around properly. Boys sit on logs together, laughing and talking. Some dance to the sound of the forest and others seem to be playing some sort of game. Peter Pan is nowhere to be seen.

As I walk over to where Felix stands beside the roaring fire I can feel every eye turn to look at me. I try not to notice it, to stare at the boys, but I can't help but to throw a fleeting glance in their direction. They turn away the second they see me looking, whispering things into each other's ears. I don't belong here, I know that, but I can't leave. Not now, not yet. I still need to find out how I got here, why I'm here, what 'here' actually is, why I can't remember anything before this strange place. I know there was something before I arrived here but I don't know what, and it scares me.

"Who are you?" I look up at Felix, raising a brow at the abrupt question.

"I already told you, I'm Lilith."

"Yes," Felix turns his head to one side, "But who are you." I turn away from him, staring into the fire.

"I don't know, I can't remember." Felix let's out a small huff of laughter at my answer, I try not to shrink back from his reaction.

"That doesn't make sense," His voice was full of disapproval, "All the lost boys remember who they were." 'Lost boys'. So that's what these boys are called, strange name.

"Well I don't remember so that's that." The words that left my lips didn't sound like me, they were harsh, forceful. But it seems as if that is what this place is like and I need to try and fit in, at least for now.

"Do you remember how you got here?" I can feel Felix looking at me.

"No."

"Do you know where 'here' is?"

"No, apart from the fact that it's called Neverland."

"Well, someone who doesn't know anything about anything is no fun." A frown appears on my forehead, 'fun'. "Let me explain," Felix takes a breath, as if about to start a speech, "Neverland is a place made of dreams. There's only children here, no adults. We do whatever we want, whenever we want. And I don't know how you got here, you just appeared in the woods earlier this evening."

"And I'm the only girl." I add to Felix's spiel in a whisper. It was so much to take in. No adults. The only girl. It was scary and wonderful, petrifying and fantastic.

"And if I want to go home?" I don't even know if I have a home to go back to but I might as well ask.

"You can't." Felix's tone suddenly changes, it's harsher, more commanding.

Fear begins to take hold of me. I can't leave... I'm stuck here, forever.


	4. Dance

I try to shake the fear, the fear of being trapped here. I need to distract myself, I need to take my mind off of it, I need...

"So you're the girl." I turn to find a boy I've never seen before. He's around about my age, his dark brown hair swept to one side.

"I am," I tuck a strand of golden hair behind my ear, "And who are you?" I hear Felix walking away behind me, his casual footsteps becoming fainter and fainter.

"Lucas." The boy, Lucas, looks behind him, as if he's checking if anyone is looking, "I haven't seen a girl in years." He looks me up and down, as if assessing me, "You're the same as I remember them though."

"Uhuh," I mumble, not entirely invested in the conversation. My eyes wander around the clearing, every single one of the people here are boys. So I truly am the only girl, well isn't that great. Stuck in an unusual place for the rest of my life as the only girl, surrounded by strange boys I don't know.

I turn back to Lucas, it seems as if he hasn't taken his eyes off of me since we'd started talking.

"Where exactly is Neverland?" I ask yet another question, maybe Lucas will be a bit better at answering them than Felix and Peter Pan.

"So it's true, you have no idea where you are." For god sake can anyone just give me a straight answer?

My annoyance must be showing as Lucas lets out a small laugh.

"No-one's giving you straight answers are they?" I shake my head in response, "Well, I'm sure Pan will be okay with you knowing where you are." Lucas breaths a deep sigh, his eyes downcast, "Neverland is an island, it is in a realm of its own." His eyes flick back up to me, "That's all I know really." So there really is no escape.

I find myself biting my lip as I look into the fire, the only girl, forever, forever trapped.

"You're scared, I know." Lucas snaps me out of my trance of fear, "We all were when we first arrive here. you get used to it though, don't worry." A small smile appears on my face for the first time since I arrived in this hellish place.

I open my mouth to speak as the clearing suddenly goes silent, all the lost boys seem to turn to look in the same direction. I look to see what they're all looking at. Peter Pan stands at the edge of the clearing, his forest eyes observe every inch of the clearing in seconds and I force myself not to make eye contact. He strides over to a log beside the leaping flames of the campfire and takes out a set of worn pan pipe, the wood is mottled with age and the fabric binding is worn. The boys all seem to begin to prepare for something, putting down the things they were holding and walking nearer to the campfire.

I frown, trying to hide my growing fear with confusion. Lucas lays a gentle hand on my shoulder,

"It'll be okay, you'll get used to this."

"Used to what?" I call after him as he walks over to the campfire. As he does so Peter Pan brings the pipes to his lips and begins to play a strange tune I've never heard before. All the boys begin to dance, swaying at first, but then they start to dance wilder and wilder. Some of them whoop as they whirl around the flames, others clap their hands to the entrancing beat weaving it's way throughout the clearing.

And then I realise, I'm dancing with them, with feet that are not my own. I try to stop but I can't, the music takes a hold of my body and throws it into spins and leaps. Many boys link arms with me and twirl me, some do it so fast I'm thrown off kilter for a second before joining the frenzy once again. I laugh with the lost boys though fear is all I feel.

I find myself looking at the boy sitting on the log beside the fire, Peter Pan. He raises a brow at me somehow smirking while still playing the pipes, why would he do this? Why would he trap all these people here, forcing them to dance and play forever. It has to be something deeper than just being lonely.


	5. Initiation

I had danced all night, watching boys drop around me like flies as they collapsed from exhaustion. I soon followed as I dropped to the floor, too tired to continue spinning around the fire like a mad man.

I had expected to wake up beside the smouldering campfire, in a heap of sleeping boys, but I haven't.

As I open my hazel eyes I find myself in a hammock tied between two ancient looking oaks. How I had gotten here I don't know, all the boys would've been asleep last night so none of them could've carried me here except...

No, it couldn't have been him, he's too cold, too unfeeling to do it. But then who? Maybe one of the boys had woken up early and brought me here, it's unlikely but so is the thought of Peter Pan carrying me to bed.

I shake my head, clearing it of the thought. I don't need more questions, not now.

As I attempt to climb out of the hammock while maintaining most of my dignity I realise that I'm no longer in the clearing. Trees stretch on as far as the eye can see, a small path winding its way through them. The path doesn't look well trodden, not many must come this way. More questions appear in my mind as I wonder through the trees. I brush them aside for only more questions to fill their place, there's so much I don't know but no way of learning the answer.

The sound of laughter floats over to me on a phantom breeze and I pick up my pace, I must be near the clearing. The thought of never finding the lost boys again and forever being alone spurs me to go faster and I find myself hurtling into the clearing, right into what seems like some sort of meeting.

Everyone immediately turns to look at me, including Peter Pan.

"And here I thought you had ran off," Peter Pan raises an elegant brow teasingly, a smirk on his lips. Fear rises in my throat and I push it back down, looking him straight in the eye as I try to show that I'm not scared of him even though the truth is that I'm petrified.

"You'd think I'd try to run away on an island with nowhere to go?" This time I wear a smirk as I take a step forward, "And here I thought you were somewhat clever." The lost boys suddenly look uncomfortable as they glance in between me and their leader. The beat of silence is too long as all the lost boys seem to hold their breath.

The quiet is only broken as Peter Pan lets out a sharp laugh, jumping down from where he was standing on a log and striding confidentiality towards me. I attempt not to shrink back has he advances and reaches out a hand.

I hesitate for a split second before shaking it,

"Welcome to the lost boys," Peter Pan leans a fraction closer, a savage grin on his face, "Lost girl."


	6. Games

The lost boys erupt in cheers and whoops as Peter Pan returns to his spot atop one of the logs beside the now smouldering campfire. Lucas approaches me, smiling widely as he claps me on the back.

"Well then lost girl, where did you disappear off to last night?" I shrug, smiling up at him.

"Nowhere really," I indicated with my head towards the path I had just come down, "I was just in a smaller clearing up that path." Lucas frowns, staring vacantly up the path I had just indicated to.

"What?" I ask, demanding an explanation for his confusion.

"It's just that, only Pan goes up there, lost boys aren't allowed that way." So it was Peter Pan who had brought me to that hammock, but why? I look over at the boy, these boys' leader and now my leader too. He looks young, around about my age, but his eyes, his eyes are old, experienced. How long has he been here for?

Lucas' voice brings me out of my pondering,

"It's your first game today," He smiles down at me, "Come on, Pan's gonna tell us what it is in a second." Lucas leads the way over to the crowd of boys all facing Pan. I stand among them, not entirely sure if I belong.

Felix stands beside Pan, a club over one shoulder. He catches me looking and I turn my attention back to Pan too quickly to see Felix's reaction.

"Boys!" Pan addresses us, his head held high, "Today... capture the flag." The boys cheer once more at Pan's announcement before busying themselves with what could only be preparations. They all grab some sort of weapon, spears, bows, arrows, and congregate on opposite sides of the clearing. I stay standing in the middle, utterly confused.

I look for Lucas, eventually spotting him in a gaggle of other lost boys and quickly make my way towards him,

"What's going on?" Lucas turns around at my words, spear in hand.

"Ah, yes, you don't know." He checks the tip of his spear before continuing, "Normally in the morning we all decide our teams for the day, who's going with Pan and who's going with Felix but you weren't here for it."

"Oh," I look down at the ground, kicking some dry soil into the air, "What team are you on?"

"Felix's." I keep my eyes on the ground, Lucas pauses. "You can join the team, it would mean the teams are uneven numbers but there's an odd amount of us now anyway." I finally look up from the ground to find Lucas grinning at me.

"Yeah, that would be nice." It comes out in a whisper and I kick myself for sounding so weak, Neverland doesn't seem like the place where weakness is welcome.

"It'll be okay," Lucas reassures me once again. I nod in response, walking over to grab a spare spear leaning against a pine tree.

*

I kneel down behind a fallen tree, damp seeping through my trousers. Two other lost boys hide with me. Our team has just hidden our flag and now we wait, listening out for Pan's signal to begin.

It feels like we've been waiting forever, my legs aching from the position I'm crouched in. I'm about to shift to a more comfortable position as a sharp whistle sounds throughout the forest, Pan's signal.

The two lost boys I'm hiding with, one of which is Lucas, both suddenly leap over the fallen tree like gazelles. I peak over the brim of the tree to see them run off into the forest, towards Pan's team.

I attempt to swallow the fear quickly grabbing hold of me, the fear of getting hurt, the fear that the lost boys are using real weapons, the fear of being killed. I crouch there for god knows how long before finally telling myself to get a grip, to just get out there, to just run. And so I do, I jump over the toppled tree and run into the forest, into the unknown.


	7. Flag

My feet thunder on the ground as I run, my spear a heavy presence in my palm. Shouts of fighting come from my left and so I run in the other direction, not wanting to get caught up in the crossfire.

My palms begin to sweat and I slow to a fast walking pace as the aching in my legs worsens. Silence sleeps in the air around me, not even the sound of calling birds reach my ears, the forest seems as though it's waiting, watching.

"Lost?" I immediately spin around, my spear pointing at the source of the voice, Pan.

I don't answer his question as I slowly back away.

"Wrong way." His voice whispers right beside my ear, the warmth of his breath brushing against my neck. I quickly turn around, my spear heading straight for his abdomen, how the hell did he get there? But Pan catches it with professional precision, raising a brow just before yanking the spear closer to him and bringing me with it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He whispers in my face, our chests pressing against eachother. 'Stay strong. Stay confident.' I say to myself in my head over and over again until I here myself say,

"Ever heard of personal space?" I hold his gaze, waiting for him to step back. His pine green eyes keep looking into mine, that steal stare making me want to hide but I stand my ground, my courage chipping away by the second.

"Don't stay lost," Pan advises as he finally steps away, "Not everyone can make it through a night alone in the forest." And then he was gone, leaving behind a void of quiet where he once was.

'Don't stay lost' his words echo in my mind as I look around for any sort of path. Nothing reveals itself and so I turn my gaze upwards, to the trees. From on the top of one of them I would be able to see where I am and maybe even notice the whereabouts of the lost boys.

So I start climbing. Branches snap off under my feet and I have to leap from one branch to the next so not to fall but I keep going, splinters burying themselves into my hands. By the time I reach the top I'm unsure whether the tree is able to hold my weight but I take my chances as I finish my climb.

As I look around I notice that the trees stretch on until the endless sea in one direction and in the other a mountain towers high above the rest of Neverland. I scour the landscape for any sign of the lost boys but as I do something catches my eye, a dash of red, the other teams flag. It sits atop the adjacent tree to mine, tucked just behind a bunch of leaves. I can't reach it from where I am but I could climb that tree and get it...

It's obvious to me now that Pan was trying to steer me away from the flag but unknown to him he actually pointed me towards it, maybe he isn't as wise as he seemed at first.

The tree with the flag on it is a harder climb and I arrive at the top with more than a few scratches. The flag flutters in the light breeze as I carefully untie it from the branch. All I need to do now is get it back into my team's territory without being caught.

*

My feet ache from running so far and so fast, the trees around me are familiar now and I realize that I'm near my team's territory. I dare not stop running as the line marking the border between territories comes into view. Just then I hear the whistling of an arrow shooting through the air towards me and I dive over the border line, my heart in my throat.

The arrow embeds itself into the tree above my head, and a younger lost boy reveals himself from the shadows. A look of utter shock on his face.  
A sharp whistle cuts through the forest and the boy turns to presumably head back to camp. But before he slinks back into the shadows he looks back at me,

"I'd be careful if I were you, Pan doesn't like loosing." And with that he left.


	8. Stranger

I tuck the red flag into my jean pocket as I head back to camp, the birds are singing again but I can barely hear them over the pounding of my heart. The words of that young lost boy have rattled me, maybe I should've just left the other teams flag where I found it and let Pan win. I hadn't thought about if Pan was a sore looser or not.

The sound of my footsteps is drowned out as I near the clearing, boys are shouting rather than laughing and as I get closer I catch a few snippets of what their saying, 'Who the hell found our flag?' and 'Pans going to kill the guy who won for Felix's team.'

Just before I reach the crowded clearing I duck behind a tree, its ruff bark cutting into my palm. My mind races and I can't put together a reasonable thought. I've just allowed myself to be revealed to Pan's wrath, the wrath of a boy I'm almost certain is mad.

I peak behind the tree and into the clearing, the boys are still shouting. I begin to look for Lucas, searching the clearing from left to right but as I do so my eyes snag on Pan leaning casually against a tree. I quickly move behind the tree once again, hoping he didn't see me, hoping he wasn't making his way towards me this very second.  
"Why are you hiding?" I turn to find a tall boy looking at me, his light brown curly hair in a nest atop his head. I try to form an answer but I stop as I notice his eyes sliding to my pocket where the flag was slightly revealed, "Pan's not very happy with you."

"I think that's a bit of an understatement from what I've heard." I shift to face him fully, making sure the tree was still masking me from the view of Pan. The boy huffs a laugh. Pausing before leaning in a fraction closer.

"I know a place where Pan can't find you, you can stay there for a bit until he calms down if you want." A mischievous smile spreads across his pale face as he whispers his offer. I bite my lip, looking away while I ponder over his words. I can't go into the clearing, not now, and I have nowhere else to go...

"Thank you," I say, looking back at the boy, "Show me the place." The boy's smile widens as he nods, leading me down a path I haven't noticed before but then again, I haven't been here for long.

The trees slowly get denser, the light becoming dimer the further we go. I keep my eyes trained on the tall form of the boy in front of me, never loosing sight of him. We seem to walk forever, the winding path endless.

Just then the boy stops. I come to a halt next to him, looking around. The light is so dim now I have to squint to see further than a couple of feet in front of me. There's no clearing or make shift hut, no ladder leading to a concealed tree house. The path is the same as the rest of it and confusion floods me as I try to figure out how I'm ment to stay here and how Pan won't find me.

I open my mouth to ask where I'm meant to stay but just as I'm about to speak I find myself being slammed against a broad tree. I freeze for a fraction of a second but that's just enough time for whatever pushed me to pin my hands against the bark.

I try to see what's attacked me and find the tall boy standing close to me, too close, his hands wrapped around my wrists like iron shackles.

"What the hell are you doing?" I retort, struggling with all my strength, but to no avail.

"Shhhhh." The boy leans even closer as he moves my hands above my head, pinning them with one hand.   
"Let. Me. Go." The yell rips from my throat as I thrash ferociously. He stays silent, his finger tracing a line down my cheek. His hand slides to the back of me head, tilting it slightly upwards. Suddenly his lips crash with mine and I try with all my might to break free but his grip doesn't falter. I feel his hand running through my hair, down the back of my neck. I want to shout, I want to scream but I can't.

The boy abruptly pulls away, letting go of me. I keep my eyes shut, not wanting to even look at him, too petrified to move.  
A loud crash sounds from my left and I dare open my eyes to find the boy lying in a crumpled heap at the bottom of a tree a few metres away from me.

I would've questioned it but I'm too shocked to even think. The darkness is thicker now and I push myself off the tree on shaky legs but they almost give way as I notice who is standing on the path in front of me. Pan.


	9. Leader

I back away slowly, my body shaking uncontrollably, Pan stood only a few feet in front of me. What was he going to do to me? 

I don't stop retreating, the silence suffocating. I near a bend in the path and speed up, when I get out of sight of Pan I'll run for it, get as far away as possible from him and the other boy.

"Stop." Pan says casually just before I turn the corner, I try to keep moving backwards but my feet refuse to listen. I go to look at them to see what was wrong but my head won't move either. My arms, my hands, my legs, all refusing to budge. A wave of panic floods me. I'm dead, I am so dead, "There's no point struggling." Pan walks slowly towards me, looking me up and down quietly as he does so.

I go to speak but no words pass my ceiled lips. Pan huffs a laugh, his smirk still holding strong. He looks down, at my pocket, at the flag. I screw my eyes shut, preparing myself for hell... but it doesn't come.

My eyes open to find Pan standing in front of me, he hasn't hurt me? Why? Maybe he's waiting to hurt me, making me fester in my fear first.

Pan smirks at me, at how petrified I am. He reaches for the flag and pulls it from my pocket, raising a brow as he examines it,

"Either you found this flag because you're a genius or you're an idiot that can't see a warning when it's staring them in the face." 'probably the second' I think to myself for a fleeting moment before absolute fear takes hold once again.

Pan looks at me once again as he stuffs the flag in his pocket, his head tilting to one side. Here it comes, the hell everyone said I'm going to get. 

"Get back to camp," I blink in disbelief, what did he just say? Where's the pain, the suffering the lost boys were talking about? "The forest isn't safe at night." A mischievous look settles on his face, the darkness seemingly murmuring at his words. He flicks his hand and I feel myself gaining control of my body again.

I swallow, hesitating before quickly glancing at the other boy now slowly stirring.

"I'll deal with him." A look that could only be described as nothing other than death itself coated Pan's features as I quickly ran back down the path. God knows what he will do to the lost boy. But whatever it is that lost boy bloody deserves it.

*

The clearing is reasonably quite by the time I reach it, the sun now fully set. As I enter a few boys whisper to each other, I ignore them, not having the capacity to care right now. As I weave my way in between the dormant boys the fear of one of them suddenly grabbing me makes me want to run.

The fire is now merely cinders and I sit myself down beside a tree, leaning back and shutting my eyes. I don't feel like sleeping, anything could happen to me while I'm asleep and I didn't want to risk it, not after what just happened.

I feel like I've been sitting here forever by the time Pan silently strides into the clearing. No blood or sign of violence shows on him, what did he do to the lost boy? Is he still out there?

Pan surveys the sleeping boys and then scours the edge of the space, his gaze falling on me. I immediately look away, too tired to talk to him right now. I hear him walk away but before I can look to see if he's gone my vision fades and sleep consumes me.


End file.
